Only 3 things I miss from California/USA. You?

I'm from California, but high-tailed it out of there a really long time ago, so it's difficult for me to think of anything I 'miss' apart from Mexican/Cali-Mex food.

However, this afternoon I'd have done just about anything for a Big Gulp or similar... drive up, walk in, grab a huge cup, FILL IT TO THE FREAKING TOP WITH ICE, then add the soft drink, pay and drive away.  I don't think about it often, but today I did.

Scenery?  I live in Scotland, and I have fab scenery every day, starting with a view out my kitchen window where I can see the Firth of Clyde, and then my drive to work, which takes me alongside Loch Lomond.

Really struggling to think of a 3rd thing... but it would probably be something like drive-through everything (thus encouraging my laziness).  Loved the drive-through 'dairy' in my hometown, where you could get milk, bread, eggs, doughnuts, cigarettes, beer... whatever, without even leaving your car.  I don't actually 'miss' this, to be honest, but sometimes it would be quite useful!

I too am leery about comparing the US and the UK, but a mailbox seems like a better way.

Much prefer a mail slot in the door to the mailbox outside.
At least if I'm not home when the postie calls, I know my mail is safely inside my flat, rather than outside in a box where someone could steal it.

I know my mail is safely inside my flat, rather than outside in a box where someone could steal it.

Yes, this is it! Do people steal mail more in the UK?

Yes, this is it! Do people steal mail more in the UK?

Not that I'm aware of... but they certainly did steal mail where I grew up, with the outside mailboxes!  Whenever there were samples of Tide or Gain, or dog biscuits, or whatever... someone would go along our road and nick them.  And I remember my mom saying she had a box of blank cheques (you ordered them from a printer if you wanted anything fancier than the standard bank logo cheques) stolen.

I don't think I've ever had my post stolen here, unless it was done by the postie rather than putting it through the door. 

1) Food! In California we are spoiled as I grew up eating so many different types of foods, especially Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, among many others, that in some ways I don't even consider them foreign food. I also miss good fast food like In N Out and Popeye's. Nando's, Wagamama and Yo! Sushi, while pretty good in their own right, just don't cut it.

I travel to California pretty frequently for work and I definitely eat well when I'm there!!!!  Oh man, I'd love any variation of Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and In N Out food right now! 

California Guy, do you live in London?  With all the new BBQ restaurants and burrito places, I find I can get my fix of interesting food.

About the driving, have you driven in Scotland?  There's some crazy landscape up there for you to drive all over.  We recently drove to Oban and then took a 5 hour ferry to the tiny island of Bara.  That was a proper road trip and all within the UK.

Also, I've been listening to NPR lately through the NPR One app and I think it compares well to Radio 4.  Can't beat the Archers though, I'm totally addicted to that.

Nope, I live in Hampshire along the Solent coast so access to "ethnic" food is limited. Even the Indian takeaways are very English.

Yes, I have driving across Scotland. Looks like Norway, where I lived for almost 4 years. It's very pretty, but it looks pretty much the same.

I miss:
knowing who my neighbours are.  I live in a flat in London and it's a pretty transient area in some ways.

we're buying a flat as well and holy hell does it take a lot of back and forth.  My parents keep asking if we're done yet.

ease and ability to park for free.

not having to pay to borrow a shopping trolley.  I never remember my 1£ coin at the large Sainsbury's so I just wander around with items stacked up my chin.  My pinkie finger is surprisingly strong!

I love:
freeview - so many channels, it's heaven!

council tax payments - straight-forward and everything in one payment.  In the US I had to chose and pay my own garbage company, recycling company, property taxes were separate.  I like the one and done aspect and our council seems fine for the services I use.

great public transport.  Annoying at times, but it's better than I've ever experienced.

the amazing ability to get inexpensive, quick and reasonably healthy lunch food.  I adore Pret.  Eat is a saving grace.  Chopped is fantastic.  Vegetarian sandwiches on shelves, always fresh and very quick.  I may get moody and tired of their offerings but they're convenient and require no aimless wandering to find food.

I know exactly who my neighbors are. We live in a nice semi detached house in an housing estate less than 20 years old. Lots of families around and all the neighbors know each other. I don't think that's a UK/US thing, but an urban/suburban/rural thing that is the same in the US.

I never have to put a coin for my trolley unless I drive to a Tesco in a not so nice area of Gosport. This depends on the crime statistics of an area I think and is not a UK/US difference but a UK/UK difference.

Public transport is ok, definitely better than most places in the US, but still doesn't hold a candle to German or Switzerland.

What part of the US are you from? Easy to get quick and healthy lunch in many areas of California where I'm from.

Yes, freeview is great!

I hate council tax. It need to be incorporated into what is taken out of my salary each month as it's a form of local income tax.

I'm from California, but high-tailed it out of there a really long time ago, so it's difficult for me to think of anything I 'miss' apart from Mexican/Cali-Mex food.

However, this afternoon I'd have done just about anything for a Big Gulp or similar... drive up, walk in, grab a huge cup, FILL IT TO THE FREAKING TOP WITH ICE, then add the soft drink, pay and drive away.  I don't think about it often, but today I did.

Scenery?  I live in Scotland, and I have fab scenery every day, starting with a view out my kitchen window where I can see the Firth of Clyde, and then my drive to work, which takes me alongside Loch Lomond.

Really struggling to think of a 3rd thing... but it would probably be something like drive-through everything (thus encouraging my laziness).  Loved the drive-through 'dairy' in my hometown, where you could get milk, bread, eggs, doughnuts, cigarettes, beer... whatever, without even leaving your car.  I don't actually 'miss' this, to be honest, but sometimes it would be quite useful!

Yes Scotland is beautiful but lacks the natural diversity of California which is hard to match anywhere in the world (Maybe New Zealand comes close).

What is your hometown?

I travel to California pretty frequently for work and I definitely eat well when I'm there!!!!  Oh man, I'd love any variation of Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and In N Out food right now!

What do you do for work that allows for such fantastic travel? Maybe your company is hiring? :-)

What do you do for work that allows for such fantastic travel? Maybe your company is hiring? :-)

I think business travel goes from wonderful to crappy faster than any other activity. By the fourth trip.....

I think business travel goes from wonderful to crappy faster than any other activity. By the fourth trip.....

It's lost any sense of romance for me

I think business travel goes from wonderful to crappy faster than any other activity. By the fourth trip.....

This is me!  I loathe traveling for work now!

This is me!  I loathe traveling for work now!

Well, I would love the opportunity to get to that point. :-)

I know exactly who my neighbors are. We live in a nice semi detached house in an housing estate less than 20 years old. Lots of families around and all the neighbors know each other. I don't think that's a UK/US thing, but an urban/suburban/rural thing that is the same in the US.

I never have to put a coin for my trolley unless I drive to a Tesco in a not so nice area of Gosport. This depends on the crime statistics of an area I think and is not a UK/US difference but a UK/UK difference.

Public transport is ok, definitely better than most places in the US, but still doesn't hold a candle to German or Switzerland.

What part of the US are you from? Easy to get quick and healthy lunch in many areas of California where I'm from.

Yes, freeview is great!

I hate council tax. It need to be incorporated into what is taken out of my salary each month as it's a form of local income tax.

I'm from Atlanta and live in London around the Shoreditch area.  It's quite transient in that it's young and expensive.  At £675,000 for 900 square feet 2 bedroom with no garden it's just not a place families seem to find themselves staying long.  When people decide to have children they seem to move out of the area into a larger place, further away from the city centre.  Or to another city.  Our closest friends have moved to: Newcastle, Shropshire, and Manchester in the last 3 years.  We've casually said hi to most of our neighbours but I usually don't know their names and I'm not sure I'd recognise them outside the building as they'd be out of context.

I pay for trolleys at Upminster & Brentwood in Essex, Whitechapel in Tower Hamlets, and Beckenham wherever that is.  At the small, local stores I don't pay for trolleys, but when we do a big run I forget to take my 1£ coin.  I can't say that those places are particularly bad or good.  Just places.  And it's different to where I'm from.  As your opening post asked, what are things we miss.  I miss that could go to a large grocery store without paying for a trolley.

As a vegetarian I struggled in Atlanta.  I hate sitting down to eat lunch and I don't like the lean toward posh foodie places.  Give me my avocado salad sandwich, wrapped to go, for under £3 any day!  Food in itself isn't the problem.  I love the quick, inexpensive lunch food.  A Pret on every corner, all within walking distance.  It's so easy!  I don't know California.  Perhaps where you're from is very walkable and a $5 fresh vegetarian sandwich is an easy feat.  For me, quick lunches are better here.

I'm pleased that your experiences of the US and UK and what you miss are quite different to mine.  These are the things that are different for me, cause me to still double take and that I can't seem to get my head around despite living here for years.

Have we mentioned the NHS in this thread?  In my 20s I scratched my cornea in Yosemite, requiring a painful ride back home to San Jose and a painful 8 hour wait in the emergency room for the uninsured.  I received care, but got a big invoice to pay off.   Here the NHS would have taken care of me.